Futurepreneur Lab to Help University Startups Enter the Market
WU Hub has launched Futurepreneur Lab 2026 to help university startups enter the market through an acceleration and business mentoring programme. “We do not lack innovation, we do not lack creative ideas, nor do we lack intellectuals from universities,” said WU Hub Founder Charles Lee during the launch press conference in Jakarta on Friday. However, the downstreaming and commercialisation of university innovations in fields such as technology, agriculture, energy, and the digital economy into widely used products and solutions has continued to face obstacles. “What is sought after now is not just an attractive presentation, but something tangible, beneficial, and truly used by society,” Charles said. Spil Ventures Vice President of Investment Sumarny Manurung noted that many innovative ideas from campuses end up merely as research results because they lack an adequate pathway to reach the market. She said investors need proof that a solution is genuinely needed and has the potential to be developed into a sustainable business. Therefore, early-stage startups require market validation. Through this process, developers can obtain feedback from potential users and understand market demand to minimise the risk of failure when the product is launched to a wider audience. Futurepreneur Lab is designed to help prepare university startups for the market. The programme provides an opportunity for 20 startup representatives from selected universities to participate in mentoring, incubation, market validation, and an Investment Day. Participants will undergo eight mentoring sessions covering business development, risk management, funding strategy, and market entry preparation. They will also gain access to the Catalyst platform, which allows the public to provide direct feedback on the products they offer. Through this programme, innovations born on campus are expected to be developed into products and solutions that deliver sustainable economic and social benefits.